College entrance cheating scandal

[RedAngie]

Anybody know why Huffman and Loughlin have been arraigned in California, but each is still facing another arraignment in Massachusetts?

Just a guess. The arraignments in California, where both actresses live, were just for bail/bond purposes. They'll be expected to enter a plea in Massachusetts, where the case was filed.

 

[EMom]

I’m unclear as to whether LL paid $500,000 total or twice that. If indeed she paid $1 million, then it seems a donation to USC would’ve been legal and a lot more straightforward. $1 million won’t buy a building, but it seems someone in admissions would rubber stamp two girls for $1 million.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So I now see they are pulling this weekend's episode of When Calls the Heart so that answers my earlier question.

 

[cats mom]

I’m unclear as to whether LL paid $500,000 total or twice that. If indeed she paid $1 million, then it seems a donation to USC would’ve been legal and a lot more straightforward. $1 million won’t buy a building, but it seems someone in admissions would rubber stamp two girls for $1 million.

The article I read said $500,000 total. Not sure if that means the payment was split evenly at $250,000 each or if one kid needed more help than the other to get in.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Not to mention that the children had every advantage growing up. The celebrity parents could have afforded enough private tutors and private sports coaches to make a relatively average to slightly below average child be good enough to get into a respected state school or not elite private school.

That would require the children to be willing to work hard. It's likely that these parents' children are used to everything being handed to them, rather than having to work for it.

 

[EMom]

The article I read said $500,000 total. Not sure if that means the payment was split evenly at $250,000 each or if one kid needed more help than the other to get in.

“We’ve spent a fortune getting our angels into college. DD1 was a bargain at $50,000 but DD2 cost us $450,000! Thank goodness we don’t have a third!” How would you like to be the expensive one?

 

[maddiel]

The article I read said $500,000 total. Not sure if that means the payment was split evenly at $250,000 each or if one kid needed more help than the other to get in.

I wonder how they determined how much they would charge parents for the various services? Did it depend on how deep they estimated their pockets were? Or the complexity of the fraud and the number of bribes? The status of the school? How close the student was to be being a viable candidate on their own? Volume discounts? Desperation?

it seems like Felicity Huffman got off pretty cheap compared to Lori Loughlin and much of the money Huffman paid went directly to the test tacker/proctor.

M.

 

[BearFamily]

I wonder how they determined how much they would charge parents for the various services? Did it depend on how deep they estimated their pockets were? Or the complexity of the fraud and the number of bribes? The status of the school? How close the student was to be being a viable candidate on their own? Volume discounts? Desperation?

it seems like Felicity Huffman got off pretty cheap compared to Lori Loughlin and much of the money Huffman paid went directly to the test tacker/proctor.

M.

If you read through the documents, it looks mostly like the price varied according to services offered. Huffman basically was paying only for the fixing of the test. Other people were paying for tests in addition to getting their kid into slots reserved for athletics, people needed to look the other way when that kid never joined a team, etc. There was one place where I think they referred to needing a higher amount depending on the school (presumably because the necessary person at that school would require a higher bribe.)

 

[runwad]

it seems like Felicity Huffman got off pretty cheap compared to Lori Loughlin and much of the money Huffman paid went directly to the test tacker/proctor.
M.

This seems the worse of the two, yet seems Laughlin is being crucified more on social media and news sites. I guess because her dd is a youtube star.

 

[AustinTink]

I haven't read all the posts on here, but just wanted to add my 2 cents. I've never liked Lori Loughlin. She always came across as fake to me in interviews and in her shows/movies. Have to say I wasn't surprised about her. I was, however, surprised by Felicity Huffman. That one came out of left field.

 

[Disneylover99]

This seems the worse of the two, yet seems Laughlin is being crucified more on social media and news sites. I guess because her dd is a youtube star.

Laughlin's girls seemed to be in on it, while I get the impression that Huffman's girls didn't know anything about it and ultimately Huffman decided not to go through with it for the second daughter. Maybe that affects or influences people's perceptions.

 

[tzolkin]

Definitely no to this. Being full pay won't get you into Harvard. Donating enough for a new building may get you into Harvard, but just being able to pay tuition isn't anything special in their eyes.

It may not get everyone in, but having no financial need is certainly "something special" in the eyes of many schools. Not all college admissions are need-blind (where they do not look at financial need when evaluating applicants). There are plenty of schools where the ability to pay in full greatly increases your chances of being accepted over someone who has a need for financial aid.

...

So, I just looked it up and apparently Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are now need-blind. But, there are still many other schools that operate under the "need-aware" admission policy.

 

[barkley]

ultimately Huffman decided not to go through with it for the second daughter.

from what i've read that's only b/c the younger daughter scored well enough on her own with the psat she felt it wasn't necessary.

 

[MillauFr]

I guess I really don't understand why this is such a big scandal?

 

[LSUmiss]

I guess I really don't understand why this is such a big scandal?

You don’t understand why paying ppl to fix tests and faking disabilities among other things is scandalous?

 

[MillauFr]

You don’t understand why paying ppl to fix tests and faking disabilities among other things is scandalous?

Not at all. The only thing I find shocking is that people are surprised this happens. I am not defending it, but I don't subscribe to the myth that people get ahead through hard work and brains. The good old boy network is alive and well in 2019. It is more about who you know that will open doors for you that allows you to get ahead.

 

[LSUmiss]

Not at all. The only thing I find shocking is that people are surprised this happens. I am not defending it, but I don't subscribe to the myth that people get ahead through hard work and brains. The good old boy network is alive and well in 2019. It is more about who you know that will open doors for you that allows you to get ahead.

I guess I’m surprised (a little) that they stooped that low. I thought they just bought their kids’ way in more legitimate ways.

 

[MillauFr]

And the myth that does who never get ahead or who are poor etc are that way b/c they’re lazy & didn’t try.

Yes I agree with you 100% on this. There are plenty of people who are disadvantaged that work 10x harder than the silver spoon crowd. When they don't end up "succeeding" people unfairly brand them as lazy.

 

[MillauFr]

I guess I’m surprised (a little) that they stooped that low. I thought they just bought their kids’ way in more legitimate ways.

These people all hang out in the same crowd and brag about all of the tricks they played to game the system. It turns into a nasty spiral.

 

[UncleMike101]

I've met some truly incompetent people whom have college degrees.
Whenever I meet an "educated" person who is obviously not worthy of their degree I remember a quote from George Carlin.

"Somewhere out there is the world's worst doctor. The scariest part is that someone has an appointment with him tomorrow."